


Island

by kathkin



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-21
Updated: 2015-08-21
Packaged: 2018-04-16 12:54:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4626081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kathkin/pseuds/kathkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Zoe was honestly baffled. Reading was supposed to be a solitary activity, and she didn’t understand why anyone would want to spoil it with snuggling and hair-petting.</i> Zoe walks in on the Doctor and Jamie's private activities. She's confused, Jamie is embarrassed, and the Doctor is by and large unruffled.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Island

“Chapter Nine,” said the Doctor’s voice from beyond the bookshelves. “ _Powder and Arms_.” He cleared his throat, and read on. “ _The Hispaniola lay some way out, and we went under the figureheads and round the sterns of many other ships_ – oh, now really. Are you napping?”

“No,” came the reply. “Just restin’ me eyes. Keep goin’.”

It was Jamie. Zoe oughtn’t have been surprised, for who _else_ was it going to be? There were only three of them on board the ship. She supposed she’d assumed the Doctor was reading aloud to himself. She couldn’t imagine why he’d want to do that, but she didn’t understand half the things he did.

“Well, I’m not going to keep reading if you’re not going to listen, hmm?”

Zoe edged a little way along the bookcase.

“I’m listenin’! I’m just a wee bit tired.”

She reached the end of the bookcase and peered around the corner. Beyond was a jumbled island of furniture that she’d walked past a dozen times on her way to the astrophysics section. It’d always been empty before, so she’d assumed the Doctor never used it, but today it was… well, occupied.

The Doctor was slouched comfortably at the far end of the green sofa, one foot propped up on the low table. Jamie was stretched out on his back, his feet tangled up with the cushions, his head lolling in the Doctor’s lap. The Doctor had, until recently, been reading aloud, but was currently preoccupied playing with Jamie’s hair. The book was splayed open against the arm of the sofa. They looked cosy, and unnervingly familiar.

“Och, you cannae stop now. You were just getting’ to the good bits.”

“It’s _all_ good bits,” said the Doctor, sounding almost hurt at the insinuation. He hefted the book. “Now, shall I keep reading, or are you bored?”

“I’m nae bored!” Jamie swatted feebly at the Doctor. “See? I’m awake. Keep goin’.”

“Oh, alright,” said the Doctor. “ _Round the sterns of many other ships_ –”

Zoe had had enough. She had to say something now, before he started reading in earnest, or she might be stuck there all evening. She stepped out from behind the bookcase. “Excuse me,” she said. “I’m not interrupting, am I?”

The effect was instantaneous. Jamie almost rolled clean off the sofa in his attempt to get out of the Doctor’s lap. “I, erm,” he said, sitting up awkwardly on the sofa, wide-eyed.

“Oh, hullo, Zoe,” said the Doctor. “What were you doing, skulking back there?”

“I wasn’t skulking,” said Zoe, though upon reflection perhaps she had been. “I was walking. To astrophysics.” She indicated the bookshelves on the other side of the sofa.

“Hmm?” The Doctor glanced over his shoulder. “Oh, yes,” he said as if he’d only just remembered he _had_ any books on astrophysics.

Zoe was beginning to regret having interrupted. Jamie was staring up at her with a guilty look on his face, as if he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t rather than having an innocent cuddle with a friend. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“We’re reading _Treasure Island_.” The Doctor cheerily held up the book.

“Together?” said Zoe in honest confusion.

“Well, yes,” said the Doctor.

Zoe screwed up her face. Reading was supposed to be a solitary activity, and she didn’t understand why anyone would want to spoil it with snuggling and hair-petting. “Why?”

“I’m not so good with long books,” Jamie said, half-muttering.

“Oh?” said Zoe. “Would you prefer a shorter one? With pictures?”

“Aye, mibbe,” said Jamie with an awkward shrug. “What’s it to you?”

“This one has pictures,” said the Doctor, showing her a colourful illustration. “It’s very exciting. You can join us if you like.”

“She can?” said Jamie.

“I think I’ll pass, thank you,” said Zoe. “Some of us can read books by ourselves.”

Jamie scowled, but said nothing, his gaze shifting to the shiny table-top. The Doctor said, “now, Zoe, that’s not very nice.”

Zoe bit back a retort – because no, it really _wasn’t_ nice. She wasn’t altogether sure why she’d said it. They were hardly doing anything wrong – quite the opposite, in fact. It hadn’t occurred to her till the words were out her mouth that they might actually hurt his feelings. “I, um. Sorry.” Sorry for interrupting, and for making fun of their perfectly harmless activities – oh, she was no good at apologies. She’d had almost no practice. “I’ll leave you to it, shall I?”

“Probably best,” said the Doctor. “Do enjoy your astrophysics. And you,” he looped his arms around Jamie’s waist and dragged him, squirming, back into his lap. “Come here.”

“Hey, get off,” said Jamie, laughing, as Zoe crept away.

She came back half an hour or so later, lumbering under the weight of an Andromeda star atlas. The Doctor was happily leafing through a different book. Jamie, she saw as she grew closer, was slumbering peacefully in his lap.

The Doctor caught her eye, and gestured towards Jamie. “He fell asleep,” he said in a stage whisper.

“I saw,” Zoe responded in kind. The Doctor patted Jamie’s head fondly. Jamie snuffled, shifting into the contact. “Enjoy your book,” said Zoe as she trudged past with her atlas.

“You too,” said the Doctor.


End file.
